Romances Across Gaia - A Companion Piece to Switched
by chaosmoon75
Summary: Romance was never part of Switched, though it did make a bit of an appearance. I still never wanted to make it a large part of the story, so that is where this comes in. One-shots of times and trials of those that eventually ended up together. I hope you enjoy the tales of their trials! So far, this will also include Zack/Aerith, Cloud/Tifa & maybe Weiss/Yuffie


**A/N: **I know it has been a while since I finished Switched and promised this, but I am at a point now where I am having some difficulties focusing. This is my solution :) On a related note, I actually plan to make this a series for each of the couples. Romance was never a big part of Switched, and it wasn't supposed to be. Though it did end up making a bit of an appearance. My solution was to add this. So far, I have tales planned for Vincent & Lucrecia, Cloud & Tifa, and Zack & Aerith. I may also add more later as the inspiration hits. Like perhaps a follow-up for Weiss & Yuffie. I don't know yet. I hope you all enjoy this as much as I did thinking it up and look forward to the rest! Have fun!

**Bringing Down the Walls**

Sephiroth and Genesis had been living in the same house for two years now, but that didn't mean they were any closer to a resolution of the things they saw in each other when they were linked. Most days, they both tried to ignore it, even when they would accidentally touch and set off reminders. Their mental bond continued to grow, which made it more difficult, though neither of them was willing to risk the balance. Not yet.

They had settled into New Cindar with the hopes to help rebuild a planet that had been on the brink of destruction. That helped them keep their focus on better things. After all, romance had never been a significant part of Sephiroth's life, and she saw no reason to change that now. No matter how distracted she could get.

As for the rest of the team, they had scattered. Most went back to Edge to continue the efforts there, and with the assistance of the Cindarians, along with Rufus Shinra and Reeve Tuesti, they started massive efforts to rebuild what had been lost over the last decade and more. Not that anyone was interested in Midgar's reconstruction, but the place did need to be cleaned up, or at least repurposed to build a better society overall.

Angeal had been for a visit with the two of them after the birth of his protégé's first child. A boy Zack and Aerith had named Terran. He brought pictures to share and hopes that everything was fine with them too. His visit had been an awkward reminder of things they two people living in the house had been trying to ignore. Obviously, they were not doing as good a job of it as they thought. There were several times that Angeal caught them brushing against each other or looking at each other intently. He was more bothered by it than they were even, and he ended up cutting his visit short.

His abrupt departure gave the two of them more to think about, but even less drive to do so. Their solution was a spar. They went out into the woods surrounding the city often enough, as that was the safest place for them to let things out without anyone else getting hurt. They already had a somewhat cleared area they used often.

It did not take them long to get lost in the familiar rhythm. They both allowed all thought besides the moment to fall away as they focused on staying uninjured. Neither of them held back, so they both needed their utmost concentration to keep from becoming harmed. It was the blessed mental silence they both had required.

That changed abruptly. Sephiroth had not realized that her last jump had landed her too close to a short ledge. When she stepped back to gain better footing so she could dart forward once more, she was shocked when her foot encountered nothing but air. Under normal circumstances, she would have been able to quickly right herself. Before she could, she was shocked when Genesis dropped Rapier and practically flew to catch her.

She was so surprised by his actions that she wasn't able to prevent them both from falling backward over the ledge. That was how they found themselves in a pile of limbs at the bottom of the ten-foot drop. Sephiroth had landed underneath Genesis, and had the breath knocked out of her, but was otherwise unharmed.

That didn't mean she was alright. Genesis sat back slightly and was looking down at her with worried eyes. That expression quickly morphed into something Sephiroth was unfamiliar with as she tried to move. She was shocked when his hand came up to cup her cheek before she found his lips on hers.

The tentative touch instantly sent sparks through her, and before her brain could catch up, her hands were fisted in his duster while she responded to the sensations. It wasn't until he pressed to deepen the kiss that her mind finally registered what had happened, and for one moment, she wasn't sure if she wanted to push him away or pull him closer.

She eventually decided to push him off. He was sent flying but did not go far. In less than a second, they were both on their feet, and Genesis was right in front of her again. She scowled at his invasion of her personal space, but he ignored it as he finally spoke. "Do not pretend that you object. You only pushed me away after you responded. You cannot tell me this is not what you want, as well."

Sephiroth gritted her teeth as she took a step back. She shook her head at him. It took all she had to say the next words aloud, "I don't know. I don't understand any of this."

She then pinned him with a look that showed her confusion before she continued in a lower voice. "What am I supposed to think. You have been my friend for years." She paused and looked over his face before she continued. "If I were male once more, would you still pursue this?"

Genesis sighed but took a step closer. He looked just as confused as she felt, but he still reached out and took her hand. She stiffened at the way the touch made the link between them jump into action, but she didn't pull away as he started speaking. "I will not deny that you are a beautiful woman. I thought so as soon as I saw you reborn. However, at that time, the thought made me uncomfortable. It wasn't until we both nearly died that I came to realize it would not matter."

She gave him an incredulous look, but he lifted his other hand to keep her from speaking as he continued. "You may have started as someone I sought to emulate, then someone I wanted to replace. However, one thing that I didn't realize until it was too late was the fact that you were someone I cared about. It took the form of friendship back then, but my heart was just as shattered when I heard of your passing as it had been at Angeal's death."

Sephiroth did pull her hand back at that point and turned away from him before she spoke. "Then why did you kiss me? Friends don't act like that."

Genesis tentatively put his hand on her shoulder and turned her back around before he answered. "Perhaps, but think of the successful couples you know. All the examples we have around us, they were friends before they became lovers. Is that really so different for us?"

Sephiroth put her hands on his chest to push him away but froze when he put one of his on top of hers where they rested. She still glared up at him when she spoke. "Maybe, but I know you would not have looked at me like you are now in our past. You were not labeled as a playboy for no reason. I may have come to accept my new body, but that does not mean I can forget our past and accept _this_."

Genesis ignored the look she was giving him as he snaked an arm around her middle and pulled her closer. He smirked at her and spoke before she could object. "You are assuming I would not have loved you as a male. If that is your only objection, set it aside. I will not deny that my head has been turned in the past by pretty females, but I never loved any of them. You had a place in my heart before I even knew it was possible. It didn't matter your gender, just you and how the two of us were more open with each other than anyone else. At least when we sparred. Now that openness has become more. Can you really ignore what you feel through the link? Can you find any deceit?"

Sephiroth took a moment and examined what she felt through the bond they shared. She was shocked when she found nothing but shining honesty. Her eyes met his with shock. "How? I don't understand."

Genesis chuckled as his other arm joined the one on her waist, and he pulled her closer. "Why not? Is it not the same for you? This between us was not about sexual attraction, but something much deeper. I do not know how long it would have taken us to discover this without the changes you endured. I will admit it helped me recognize what I felt, but any attraction I feel for you is secondary to what I have held for much longer. I honestly believe this would have happened eventually."

Sephiroth swallowed several times as she tried to work through what she was feeling, along with the thoughts coming through the link and what Genesis just said. Finally, she looked back into his eyes. "This- I don't think this will ever be easy for us, but I want to believe you are correct."

Genesis responded by leaning in for another kiss. This time, Sephiroth allowed it. Not only did she not push away, but within moments, she was pulling him closer. It was several heated moments later that she finally pulled back with a gasp and put her hand on his chest to hold him at bay. He frowned at the distance, but only until she spoke. "I don't understand what I'm feeling. This is unlike anything I have ever experienced before. I don't even know what I should-"

Genesis cut her off with another kiss. She glared over at him, but he shook his head. "Don't let it worry you. I promise we will figure this out together."

Sephiroth scoffed. "That's easy for you to say. You aren't the one that has to deal with- with-" She gestured down to the lower half of her body and frowned. "This. I don't even know if this is what I'm supposed to feel or not."

Genesis had to fight not to laugh. Despite how calm and collected Sephiroth always was, it was these types of things that had always confounded her. Even before she was reborn. Dealing with intimacy, even the kind between friends had always put Sephiroth on edge. Genesis was shocked to realize he found it endearing.

Once he was reasonably sure he would not say something to make her angry, he shrugged out of his jacket and neatly laid it out. He then sat on it and lifted a hand for her. She gave him a wary look, but he ignored it as he grabbed her hand anyway and pulled her down to him. She allowed him to move her and landed in his lap.

He put his arms around her and kissed her cheek before he spoke. "There is no rush for this. For us. Let us take it slowly, and do not be embarrassed to tell me if you need time. I can have patience if the situation calls for it."

Sephiroth huffed and rolled her eyes at his claim, but still allowed him to lay them both down. She would not usually have been so submissive, but she understood enough to know that at least Genesis knew what he was doing. She also knew that he had meant what he said. No matter how awkward she felt, he was in no rush. With that thought in mind, she let go of the last of her hesitation and pulled him down into a bruising kiss. So, maybe she wasn't as submissive as she first thought.

That thought barely flicked through her mind as he pulled back with a gasp, and braced himself above her. She smirked up at him when she saw his dilated eyes and heard his husky voice. "While I do have patience, if you continue to do that, I may find myself hard-pressed to hold onto it."

Her smirk widened a little as she ran her hands up his arms and across his shoulders before she pulled him down once more. Her voice was just as husky as his had been when her breath ghosted across his lips. "Then perhaps we both need lessons. Like you said, we have all the time we need."

Genesis groaned as he let her pull him into another whirl of passion. He could already tell this was going to be an interesting endeavor. He may want to take the lead and show her more pleasure than she ever thought possible, but he had a feeling this was going to be something new for both of them. Sephiroth never had been one to take the easy way in anything. It wasn't long until they both lost track of themselves and all thoughts except the ones they shared of each other. Each coming more vividly than the last as they link they shared only grew stronger with each touch, each kiss, and when they finally did join in bodies, the resultant explosion between them was multiplied until neither of them knew where one ended, and the other began.

It was a long time before either of them moved after that. It took them some time to disentangle, emotionally as well as physically. Though they both understood neither would ever be the same, they were not overly upset with that fact. This was just the beginning, after all. They had a lifetime now with which they both intended to make the most of what they had been gifted.


End file.
